Multiple-spindle milling-machine and the like.



C. D RICE. MULTIPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHiNEAND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1913- 12151705; Patented Feb..13,1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

t: 1 WEHM WHJ m M I i? W M'ATiORNEY.

C. D. RICE. MULTIPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

' Patented Feb.;13,1917.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1913- 1,215,705.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR. Charles 12 Rice.-

fl j A J W A TTORNEY.

co DI MULTIPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917. I

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 17. I913- 17.;vssEs.- INVENTOR. H I y v Charles D. Rice? fi JIfTORNEY.

c. 0. RICE.

MULTIPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, I913.

Patented Feb. 13,1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- [.VVENTOR. Charles D. Rice:

IVIZNESSES:

BY m

h ATTORNEY.

C. D. RICE.

MULTIPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. I913.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

LVVENTOR. Charles D. Rice:

[9; ATTORNEY.

c. DfmcE. MULTlPLE SPINDLE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

h 11 9 1 00 1 .hm e F d e t n 6 t aw. D1 aw M H N m D H N 0 n A W H DI A A 7 I 5 1 2 1 [VI E VTOR Charles D. Rice:

f: a I

A TTOANE Y.

' To all whom it may concern.-

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFm .cnantns. DE LOS IYBIGE; or suntan; conunc'rroun,

MULTIPLE-SIEINDLE MILLING-MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

, Be it known that 1, CHARLES and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Generally speaking, it has been pose to group together on a single frame a plurality of operating mechanisms adapted to perform like or similar operations, provide these mechanisms with a common driving means, provide a common feed of the work relatively tothe operating means, and an automatic return and stop device. acting both on the operating mechanism and on the feed to stop moving parts of the machine and its elements when the work has been accomplished and the parts returnedto starting position. By .so arranging and organizing a machine as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and by carefully figuring feeds and speeds andthe number of the operating mechanisms (tools) which shall be utilized, it is possible to group two like machines opposite one anotherzfront to front operated by one workman, the feed andspeed of one machine being such asto. give the workman time to' first'unload, and then-reload the other machine and set it into operation before or at about the time the first machine has come to a' condition'of rest. Thus, assuming that'each-machine'is equipped, for instance, with four spindles adapted to carry milling cutters of various shapes and sizes, a singleoperative would be able to handle eight spindles, and between the two machines maintain a continuous manufacturing operation. These results are made possible by the novel and ad vantageous construction andarrangement of the machines Which will now be described more in detail.

In order to make it possible to arrive at the results above outlined it has been necessary to provide an extremely compact arrangement of the machine, to make it automatic in its operation except for the loading and unloading, and to simplify to the utmost all of the operations which the operative must per.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

DE Los Rica} a citizen. of the United States, and a rs1-- dent of Hartford, in the county of Hartford.

oiling device.

- I Patented Feb. 13, 191'7.

Application mm. 17, ala. Serial No. 7751 3.

the respects which will now be more particularly describedand subsequentlypointed out in the claims. And since the various deform. This has necessitated substantial de- "partures from prior machine tool designs m' vices'forming the subject matter of the in;

vention can be more clearly and simply described with reference to a concrete embod i-' ment, the 'various features have been illusa multiple spindle Y trated as incorporated in milling machine. ,v

Figure 1 is a front view of amachine em- 4 bodyingmy invention.

' Fig. 2 is anend view thereof.

Fig.3 is a sectional end view.

Fig. 4 is a detail se'tion of th table slide Fig. 5 is a the same.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the an shaft driving connection.

Fig. 7 is an endview' of the same. Fig.8 is a detail side view. of 'a vise..

Fig. 9 is a plan' view'thereof.

detail sectional front view of Fig. 10 is a detail view from-the rear, in section, of a portionofthe main shaft and one spindle.

Fig. .11 1s a' rear view showing-thefrica tional driving connection for the feed shaft,

with parts shown in section.-

Fig. 12 is a front view of one of the frent housings; v Y p Fig; 13 is aplan view thereof.

sectional plan view of thevise stem binder.

. Fig.16is a detail view-of thevise locatorQ of which is transversely channeled as at 9o' Fig. 14 is a side view, and Fig. :15 is a ioo to receive the spindle housings. The spindles C, four of which areshown, extend transversely of the machine, that is to say, from front to back, and are supported," in

front and rear housings, the bed be ng transversely channeled to provide a'secure seat for these housings and in which they are closely fitted. The front housings, indi-' cated at al, 0?, a and a, are intended to slide in the channels to effect the adjustment of the spindle and its tool relative to thework, being held, down in lace by gibs asecured to the.bed as by bol s a. The 'spin dles areshouldered near the front end as at properly adjusted they are locked by a to take a bearing against the front of the front housing, and are threaded where they emerge from the rear of these housings to take a thrust collar 4 and adjusting nuts a. The spindle of course is mounted in a suitable bushing in this housing. When of ball-bearing or other anti-friction type,

which are of coursein alinement with the bearings in the front housings.

The front and rear spindle housings have oppositely projecting tail pieces a i, b" respectively, in the ends of which are oppo-- sitely threaded holes to receive the oppositely threaded ends of adjusting screws a,

having a central portion adapted to be operated by a wrench of some sort. The rear housings being fixed, the front housings can be'adjusted by means of these screws and then locked in adjusted position by the bolts (1.

Underneath the spindle. bearings in the rear housings and arranged at ri ht an les thereto are bearings c for the main sha f. Secured to each spindle within the rear housing is a Worm wheel d keyed to the spindle and clamped by the-binder d, the end of the worm hub being split for this purpose. Retaining nuts for the bearings are threaded onto opposite ends of the worm .hub adjacent to the bearings.

The main shaft extends lengthwise of the machine and is supported in the bearings c. Mounted on this shaft are the worms 9 adapted to mesh with the worm wheels d on the spindles. At one end of the machine a step'cone pulley h is secured to the main shaft, which may be belted up with any suitable source of power,v as a countershaft, motor, or the like. This main shaft is the only member of the machine driven from an outside source of-power, the other moving parts of the machine taking their motion from it.

To the opposite end of this main shaft there is secured a friction disk z',the plane of whose face is substantially at right angles to the axis of the shaft and from which the power is transmitted through the friction wheel 9' and the friction wheel shaft is through the worm. l through the worm wheel m mounted on the feed shaft n and which carries the worm n meshing with the worm wheel 0 on cam shaft 72 which extends from front to back of the machine supported in suitable bearings.

The main shaft has a suitable thrust-bearing at its friction disk end to take the thrust of the friction wheel against the disk as indicated at 2, and at its opposite end anotherthrust-bearing 3, to take the thrust occasioned by the meshing of the worms and Worm gears.

The means for holding the friction wheel j in (proper driving contact with the friction isk i on the main shaft comprise a collar 60 encircling the upper end of the friction wheel shaft is, which is supported in a suitable anti-friction bearing, and this collar has a lateral extension 61, into which an end of a tension pull rod 62 is pinned, the

other end of which passes through a boss 63 on the rear housing b This rod is supported in a sleeve 64 having a drive fit in the bore of the boss, and a spring 65 surrounds the rod bearing against, the end of this sleeve, and having bearing against its'opposite end a washer and a nut which is threaded onto the rod. By means of this nut the tension of the spring can be varied, and so I vary the. force with which the friction wheel 7' 1s drawn a must the face of the friction disk 2'. A frlction relief nut 66 is threaded onto the pull-rod 62 between the end of the sleeve 64 and the collar 60, in order that the frictional contact of the friction wheel on the, disk 2' may be released during the ad ustment of the former to change the feed speed. 67 denotes a guard for the friction wheel,

mounted in a boss 68 onone of the gibs a,

reduce the contact area between it and the table and yet provide for a proper support for the table to give it the necessary rigid- Ity. The. table 10 has on its underside a downwardly extending apron 11 having an.

angular groove 12 at its upper.- rear part to accurately fit the upper edge of the table slide I. To the lower end of the apron there 1s secured a gib 13 angularly disposed to fit against the rear face of the lower edge of the table slide, and it will be seen that there is thus provided a dove-tail groove 1n the rear of the table apron which fits" accurately the dove-tail table slide on the bed, and on which the table is reciprocated longitudinally of the machine to move the work supported thereon back and forth under the spindle tools.

The method adopted for lubricating the ways on which the table slides is as follows:

At suitably spaced intervals alon edge of the dove-tail table sli e or ways, pockets 3 are formed, at one end of which is mounted a stud 4 having a yoke 5 loosely ivoted on the top thereof, which extends the upper over the pocket and supports an oil-distributing wheel 6 of such a diameter and so placed that it extends down into the pocket a suitable distance to dip into oil which is 1 contained therein and into contact with the groove in the table, with the result that as the, lower end of the pockets, and in this groove a brass tube 7 is forced, and up-" turned at one end, the other end being plugged-so as to permit .of draining and cleaning the oil ockets. Opposite each pocket a hole is rilled through the tube and face of the slide into the pockets, and; into this hole there is forced a tapered pin 8 having a longitudinal bore and an intercepting cross-opening forming communicating passages between the tube and the pockets. The oil level in the pockets can thus be maintained at the proper point by keeping the tube with its turned-up ends filled to the corresponding level. At the front of the apron 11 of the tabl 10 is'a support 14 for a roller 15 which is located in operative relation withthe cam V 16 on the cam shaft p, so that as the camrevolves in engagement with this roller the table is shifted to the right, as seen in Fig.

' 1 of the' drawings A spring 17 anchored at one end in the bed, asi'ndicated at 18,

has-its opposite end connected-with the table apron as at 19. As the cam movesthe table in one direction this spring is extended until the high point of the cam is passed, after which the spring returns the table to normal position, always keeping the roller against the face of the cam. I

The friction wheel shaft is connected with the feed shaft by a worm Z and worm wheel m, the latter ofv which is mounted on the feed shaft, it havin a taper bore to fit the tapered end of the eed shaft, and is held in place by the hand-operable binder 7- which is locked by the nut 8. Byloosening the lock nut and unscrewing the binder, the worm wheel may be disconnected from the feed shaft. This disconnects the power feed for the table and makes it possible to move the table by hand under the spindle tools while the machine is being set up and the work and tools adjusted for the proper cut.

The means which I have provided for moving the table by hand comprises a bracket 20 secured to an end of the table, bored and threaded to receive an adjusting screw 21 an end of which islocatedin a recess 22 in the pedestal'and supported" by an anti-friction" thrust-bearing. The outer end of the screw is properly shaped to receive an operating handle or wrench. By this means the table can be moved under the work to accurately determine and fix the out which the spindle tool will make, and when this is properly adjusted the power feedcan be thrown into play by tightening up on the binder T, which forces the worm wheel m onto the feed shaft and establishes a driving connection. The spring returns the table to starting position.

Keepingin mind the necessity of so organizing all. parts of the machine that they can be operated with the greatest convenience to the workman, it has been necessary to provide a novel work-holding device, es-

pecially for those cases where the cut is across the piece rather than lengthwise of it. --This has been necessary in order that the operating handle ofthe vise shall be at the front of the machine convenient to the operator while the movement of the vise jaws or of the.movable vise jaw is in a direction' lengthwise of the table. In providhave produced a novel form of vise which will now be described, it being understood that there are as many vises as there aretool spindles.

On the front of the apron of the table are tubular hubs 30, to receive the cylindrical stem 31 of the vise, 'the stem projecting ing for such an arrangement of the parts I through the hub to be engaged by an adjusting screw 32 mounted in a bracket 33011 the apron, and by means of which the vise as a whole may be raised or lowered, theadjusting. screw bracket being split and pro-' vided with a clamp bolt '34: by means of i which .the adjusting screw can be locked in position after thevise is properly adjusted. For convenience inisecuring an accurate andfine adjustment of thevise a collar 35 is located against the head of the adjusting screw having circumferential graduations,

and a pin 36 secured in the bracket has its end overlying these graduations. For locking the vise in position the hub is transversely apertured at top and bottom just at the side of the longitudinal bore but so arranged that the aperture opens into the bore, as clearly indicated at 37, 38. Ineach of these apertures is located a pair of binders, 39, 40, the opposing ends of which at the side next the stem are oppositely inclined so that as these binders are drawn together they wedge against the vise stem. One of these binders, 40,.istubular to receive a bolt 41. the threaded end of which en'- gages a threaded aperture" in .the other binder-39. The squared end 42 of the bolt provides means fordrawing together the binders 39, 40, longitudinally in the aperture toeffect the clamping action on the stem.

In order to properly locate the vise, to insure the correct alinement of the clamping jaws with respect to the spindle and 1n parallelism therewith, I provide a cylindrical bushing 45 secured to the table as by the bolt 46, the head of which fits in one of the T slots 47 and which has at its other end a binding nut '48. Each vise body has a rectangular notch of such size as to receive this bushing and the bushing has a large bore so that it may move to always find a bearing against both walls of the notch..

The faces of the vise jawsextend transversely of the bed, at least one of the aws being movable toward and away from the vise body on the upper surface thereof is a vise-screw bearing 50 to support a vise screw 51, the threaded end of which is in engagefrom the stationary jaw 56.

ment with a vise screw nut 52, which may be reciprocated on the vise body by the vise screw. Thetvise body is provided with ways 53 upon which slides the movable jaw block 54, whichis connected with the vise screw nut by a toggle link 55. It will thus-be seen that by rotating the screw the nut is moved transversely of the vise body, and through the toggle link the jaw block is moved longitudinally of the body toward and away The capacity of the vise depends upon the length of the toggle link, various lengths of which are provided, and by this simple and advantageous arrangement the operating crank for the screw is located at the front of the machine, and the movable jaw'block can be readily and quickly actuated for the loading and unloading of the vise.

' The starting and stopping of the machine is accomplished in the following manner? A foot treadle 80 has a front branch .extending lengthwise of the machine, and rearwardly extending side arms which fit into brackets 81, 82,-mounted on the bed. To one of these side arms is attached a connection with' a belt-shifting arrangement at the overhead countershaft, 50 arranged that when the treadle is pressed down the bell crank lever 104 is moved by the rod 105 to I shift the ship er rod 103 which throws in the clutch pul ey 101 to drive the cone.pulley 100 which is belted down to the machine. The left-hand bracket 81 has a transversely arranged hub 83 in which is mounted a catch-pin 84 which is adapted to coiiperate with a retaining pin 85 mounted in the lower end of a retaining lever 86 to hold the foot treadle in its depressed position, and thus and the release lever'95 in a position to be rotate; thence through the friction disk z supported on the pedestal at a point sub- 55 '91being connected to a downwardly extending lever 93 fast on one end of a rock shaft 94, to the other end of which is secured an upstanding release lever 95, the end of which is in operative relation with one end of a longitudinally movable stop pin 96 suitably supported on the bed with its opposite end in operative relation with the cam 16. A spring 97 can be placed at any convenient point to hold the retaining lever and the rock shaft in normal position, that is to say, in the position where the retaining pin 85 at the lower end of'the retaining lever 86 will interlock with the catch pin 84 on the bracket 81,

actuated by the stop pin 96 when it is moved lon 'tudinall by the knock-off pin 98 fixed int eside'o thecam. 3

Suitable means is also provided, as a spring 87, to raise the foot treadle 80vwhen it is released through the action of the cam by the disengagement of the retaining pin 85 from the catch pin 84.

It will be understood thatthe cam is timed to feed the table at the proper speed under the spindles and to permit of the spring 17 returning the table to its starting position, and difierent cams can be provided for different classes of work or to meet any peculiar conditions. These cams are fitted to the tapered end of the cam shaft and locked by a nut. The knock-oil pin is always in the same position relative to the stop face of each cam, and thus readjustment upon the substitution of a different cam is avoided.

. Assuming now that the machine is at rest and the vises all filled with work to be operated on,'a pressure of the foot treadle will depress it and the spring 97 will draw theretaining lever to a osition to cause the retaining pin to inter ock with the catch' pin, and at the same time the drive for the main shaft is made effective. Power is delivered to the main shaft f, causing the spindle to and friction wheelj to the friction shaft is; thence through the worm wheel m and worm gear Z to the feed shaft-n; thence through the worm n and worm wheel 0 .to the cam shaft p, causing the cam 16 to rotate. The cam engages a roller 15 mounted in the'tahle and drives the table to theright, carrying the work under the tools mounted on the vrotating spindles. Each vise moves under but one splndle, and the tools of each spind le operate only on the parts held in one V159."

When the table has reached the limit of its motion in this direction, the spring 17, which has been extended, draws the table back to its starting position, the rapidity of this motion being controlled by the cam, and at the time when the table reaches its starting position the knock-off pin in the cam moves the stop pin 96 longitudinally so that it engages the release lever 95, rocks the rock shaft 94, which through the connecting rod 91 moves the retaining lever 86 to disengage the retaining pin 85 from the catch pin 84 when the spring 87 raises the foot treadle interrupting the main shaft drive.

The main shaft drive is controlled as follows The countershaft is equipped with a cone pulley 100 which is belted up with the cone pulley on the main shaft of the machine. It is also provided with a clutch pulley -101, the movable member of which is connected by a lever 102 with a shipper rod 103, andthis shipper rod is moved longitudinally by a bell crank lever 104 which is connected through a connecting rod 105 with the foot treadle. On the countershaft there is a friction disk 106, a fixed brake shoe 107 at one side of this disk, and another brake shoe 108 mounted on and movable with the shipper rod. 4

When the table has returned to its position of rest, the knock-ofi' pin on the cam moves the stop pin longitudinally, causing the shaft 94 to rock, disengaging the retaining pin 85 from the catch pin 84 when a spring 87 connected with the bell crank lever 104 shifts the shipper rod to disconnect the clutch pulley, and causes the friction disk to be engaged by the brake shoes to quickly stop the rotation of the countershaft; and consequently all moving parts 0 the machine.

A. suitable Work-oiling system is provided according to well known ideas, adapted for the particulartpurpose in hand.

Above the spindles a work-holding table is supported in a position convenient to the operator, and it may be conveniently supported on extensions from a suitable number of the studs which hold the gibs in place, as indicated at 110, 111, in the'drawings.

I claim as my invention: p

1. In a machine of the character described, a bed,a rotating tool-carrying element, arranged transversel of the bed, alongitudi nally movable wor -holding element, a feed and return mechanism therefor, a main shaft mounted on the bed, driving meanstherefor, driving connections between said main shaftand said tool-carrying and work-holding elel'nents, means for starting said shaft, and means for automatically stopplng said main shaft.

2 In a machine of the character described, a bed, a rotating tool carrying element arranged transversely of the bed, a long'it'udi ing connections between said main shaft nally movable work-holding element, a feed and return mechanism therefor, a main shaft mounted on the bed, driving means therefor normally inoperative, driving connec-. tions between said main shaft and said toolcarrying and work-holding elements, a latch mechanism for said main shaft drive when in operative position,and a trip mechanism in said feed and return mechanism cooperating with said latch mechanism to disconnect and stop the main shaft drive at the end of each complete movement of said feed and return mechanism.

3. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a rotary tool-carrying spindle arranged transversely of the bed and supported in suitable bearings, a table slide at the front of the bed extending longitudinally thereof under the spindle, a table mounted for movement on said slide, a work-holder located on said table, a main shaft supported in hearings, on the bed, driving connections between said shaft and spindle, a feed and return mechanism for said table, drivand said mechanism, and automatically operating means for stopping said spindle and said table at the end of the return motion of the latter. I

4-. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a rotary tool-carrying spindle arranged transversely of the bed and supported in suitable bearings, a table slide at the front of the bed extending longitudinally thereof under the spindle, a table mounted for movement on said slide, a Work-holder located on said table, feed and return mechanism for said table, a common driving shaft for said spindle and table supported in suitable bearings on said bed, and automatically operating meansfor stopping said driving shaft at the end of each return motion of the table. 7 4 A p 5. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a rotary tool-carrying spindle ar- 1 o ranged transversely of the bed and supported in suitable bearings, a tablesupported on and movable longitudinally of the bed underneath the spindle, a work holder mount ed on the table, means for moving said table 1 to carry said holder tinder and by said spinconnect the main shaft drive at the end of,

each complete movement of said feed and return mechanism, and manually operable means for disconnecting said main shaft drive independently of said trip mechanism.

7. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a spindle arranged transversely of the bed, a table adapted for reciprocating movement under'the spindle, a work-holder mounted on the table, a main shaft supported in suitable hearings on the bed, geared driving connections between the main shaft and the spindle, a feed shaft for the table,, an intermediate shaft havin geared connection with the feed shaft an frictional driving connection with the main shaft, and means for adjusting the contact pressure between said frictional driving members.

8. In a machine of the character described, a bed provided with a plurality of transverse channels in the top thereof, a pair of housings in each channel, means for fixedly securing one housing to the bed, means for adjusting the other housing from the fixed housing, and means for locking the adjustable housing in position.

9, In a machine of the character described, a bed having a plurality of transverse channels in the top thereof, a pair of housings located in each channel at the front and rear ends thereof, the rear end housing being fast, the front end housing being adjustable, alined hearings in the rear housings, a main shaft extending longitudinally of the machine and supported in said bearings, alined hearings in each pair of housings, spindles supported in said bear ings and-arranged at right angles to said shaft, gear connectionsbetween said main shaft and said spindles located within the rear housing, a shoulder on each spindle in front of the front housing and having a bearing thereagainst, a lock collar on the spindle at the rear of the front housing, and means for adjusting said front housings to move the spindles longitudinally.

10. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a main drive shaft mounted thereon extending longitudinally thereof, a transversely arranged spindle having driving connection with said shaft, a longitudinally movable table, means for feeding said table under the spindle, driving connections between the main shaft and said means, means for returning the table to normal position, a shipper-rod by means of which said main shaft is connected with a source of power, a latch for maintaining this connection, a knock-ofi' pin operatively engaged means for returning the table to normalposition, a shipper-rod by means of which said main shaft is connected with a source of power, a latch for maintaining this connection, a knock-off pin operatively engaged with said latch, means operable upon the return of the table to normal position for actuatin said knock-off pin to disconnect said main shaft from its source of power, and a foot lever for operating said latch independently of said means.

v12. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a dove-tail slide arranged longitudinally at the front thereof, the face of said slide being vertically arranged, the table having a depending apron grooved at the rear to fit over the upper edge of said slide, a gib removably secured to the lower edge of said apron and engaging the rear of the lower edge of the slide.

' 13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a bed, a plurality of spindles arranged side by side transverselyof the bed, a table slide and a table mounted for reciprocation thereon, of a plurality of work-holders mounted upon said table, one for each spindle, and means for adjusting said work holders relative to said spindles independently of one another.

14. In a machine of the character described, a bed, a rotating tool-carrying element, a longitudinally movable work-holding element, a feed and return mechanism for the latter, a main shaft mounted on the bed, driving means therefor, driving connections between said main shaft and said tool-carrying and Work-holding elements, means for starting said main shaft, and means in said feed and return mechanism for automatically stopping said main shaft.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE. L. s.] Witnesses: j W. M. BYORKMAN. [Ls] LYMAN D. BROUGHTON. I 

